Grinding-machine.



PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

No. 856.721. B. NICHOLS.

GRINDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 13.1906.

31 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.N 856.721. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1-907. H. B. NICHOLS. GRINDINGMAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED .IULY13.1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 24 PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907:

H. B. NICHOLS. 4

GRINDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1a. 1906.

4 sums-51mm." 3.

PATENIED JUNE 11, 1907.

11,13. NICHOLS. GRINDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 13, 1906.

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HENRY B. NICHOLS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

I GRINDING-MAOHINE..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed July 13, 1906. Serial No. 326.002.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. NICHOLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented 'a certain new and useful Improvement in Grind-- ing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. I

My invention relates to metal working machines, and particularly to those employed for grindingor surfacing curved or irregular forms.

My present invention is in the nature of an im rovement on those which I have described an claimed in my Patents Nos. 807,193 and 807,194, granted December 12, 1905.

In my said patented machines I have made use of the principle "of a moving tool and fixed work holder, that is the tool determining the shape of the cut and its extent, while the work holder or carrier merely determines the feed. The specific purpose of my patented machine is the grinding of tlre pins of railway switch tongues, which become worn into irregular shapes and have to be restored Since these. pins are forged be removed'for grinding, hence I arrange my work holder to clamp the switch tongues with the ins projecting, and I then revolve my cutting tool while at the same time I rotate it upon its own axis.

The revolving motion carries the tool around the pin, and the rotation secures the cut.

My object in the present case is to effect a special feed or reversal of motion of my cutting tool, whereby I may'cut or grind a portion only of a surface.

' The invention -is a pli'cable toa great many uses, but I will i ustrate these by taking a single example.

' The switch tongues to which I have referred are of considerable length, each having a rounded butt, which is set on the pivotplate, and a long taper body terminating in a )oint. The pin or pivot is of course at the utt end, and not only this pin, but also the butt end of the tongue frequently requires grinding. This, however, cannot beaccomplished by a revolvingitool, for the obvious reason that the rounded end is only semi-circular. I therefore desire in the present case to be able to feed my cutting tool through any are ofa circle or other curved figure, and then reverse the. motion. To grind the switch tongue butt the arc of motion would extend through an angular distance of 180 degrees before reversal.

In attaining my object, I make use of the same general type of machineas that shown in my patents aforesaid, but.I apply to this machine an additional feed or controlling mechanism which I shall presently describe in detail and which operates as follows: The work being fixed, and the tool shaft and swing plate adjusted, so that the required swing is obtained, the drive of the swing late is taken up by one of a pair of loose pu leys carried on the swing plate spindle. These pulleys are oppositely belted to the feed gear of the machine, this part of the mechanism, as well as the ratio of motion, being immaterial to my pro er spec of travel is given the tool. The pul eys are alternately thrown in and out of engagement with the swing plate spindle by means of an intermediate double clutch, controlled by a system of levers which themselves are governed by a slide movement controlled by a fixed stud on the swing plate. By adjusting the slide members with regard to this stud, the latter may be caused to throw the clutch one way and the other at any desired point in the rotation of the swing plate, thereby instantly reversing the mo tion thereof. I Bysetting the slidefingers sufficiently wide to escape the stud entirely, the machine may be caused to work steadily with complete rotation of the tool, and from this adjustments may be made that will permit a feed through any are from 360 degrees down practically to zero, which would not be absolute zero, but merely the smallest are through which the tool could be made to travel in the time required for reversal. Of course this extreme low limit would probably never be resorted to, but the possibility of be ing able to grind up within a fraction of a complete revolution, and then reverse, is very important.

There are many cases where projecting keys or studs or the like, in such pieces as the propeller shaft of a steamer, have prevented machine grinding. By my present invention it at once becomes possible to grind around the shaft to the projecting part in one direction, and then grind around the other way. In order to make the action of my clutch positive, I provide a locking weightfor the system of levers, with lost motion in a link connection, so that when the present invention so long as the struction to the bed of an enginelathe and 20' standards 2.

ried by thespindle yoke 11 in which is journaled the spindle 12 carrying at its outer end that upon which the head-stock is located 'will aline transversely between the swing within apertures formed in the arms 23 and feed is reversed the weight is' pushed just belts or other suitab e means.

past center, andfalls the rest of the way over, thereby positively actuating the clutch. 1. 3 My inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1. is a side view of my grinding machine, with my present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view-on asomewhat enlarged scale, of the feed mechanism and swinglate of the machinel Fig. 3 is an end view the parts shown in Fi 2. Fig. 4 is a view on a section line of ig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow toward the swingplata and with the tool shaft remfi ve Referring, to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, 1 represents the bed of the machine which is or may be similar in conin this instance is su ported on pedestals or Bolted to the upper surface of the bed near one end thereof is the headstock 3 in which is journaled the shaft 4 driven through the clutch 5 by theulleys'6 and 7 loosely 11101 uted on the sha t 4 and normally driven in'o posite directions by The inner end of the shaft carries the swing plate 8 to which is secured adjacent its periphery the semi-cylindlical socket piece 9 which forms a bearing for the ball shaped member 10 carthe dressing. tool 13 which is driven by the belt 14 as described in my Patent No. 807,193. About'midway of the bed of the machineis bolted the tool support 15 in which is mounted for rotary and oscillatory motion the yoke or bracket 11.

The work sup ext 16 is mounted to slide upon the end 0 -the bed plate opposite to and carries means for supporting the switch tongues or other work to be operated upon. Depending from the center of the work support is an arm 17 to which is secured a rod 18 having upon it stops 19 and 20 adapted to operate the clutch 21 which reverses the feedmechanism, through the rod 22,. as also described in my said Patent No. 807,193.

Secured to the bed plate and extending upwardly therefrom so that their upper ends plate-and head-stock, are a pair of arms 23 and. 24, the latter being provided with a proecting portion 25, the function of which will be described hereinafter. Mounted to slide 24 is a horizontal cross rod 26 upon which are adjustabl secured the fingers 27 and 28 having set sciews 29 adapted to bear upon the under side the rod 26 to secure the fingers in adjusted position. These fingers are provided at their upper ends with extensions 30 which are projected toward each other. i

The operating stud 31 is adjustably secured ,justing fingers 27 and 28 alternately by mechanism which will be hereinafter, de-

scribed. -Journaled in the extension 25 of. the arm 24'is a'shaft 32 upon which is secured a lever 33 havin a graduated weight 34 at its up er end an approximately midway ofits ength is provided with a closed slot 35 which is engaged by a bolt 36 carried. by the sliding rod 26. The shaft 32, which is journaled in the extension 25 of the arm 24, extends along the bed plate for some little distance and at one end thereof is pro vided with an arm 37 to which is secured a link 38 connecting the arm 37 andone end of an arm 39 on a bell crank lever formed by securing another arm 40 upon a transverse shaft 41 journaled in suitable uprights 42 carried by, the bed plate. The arm 40 extends up toward the live shaft 4 and is forked at 43 to engage an annular depression 44 in the clutch 5.

Keyed to the shaft-4 is a sprocket pinion 45 conveying motion by the sprocket chain 46 to alarger sprocket wheel 47 carried by a short shaft 48 ournaled in a Y-frame 49 secured in any suitable manner to the bed plate 1. This-pinion 47 through its shaft 48 conveys motion to a smaller pinion 50 which in turn conveys motion to two sprocketwheels 51 and 52, the former of which is journaled upon a stub shaft 53 and the latter of which is carried loosely upon the feed shaft 807,193, I describe it here so that it may be clearly understood that the machine is in every respect automatic and I will furtl r say that the clutch 57 is operated by a fo ed lever 58 pivotally connected to a supporting arm 59 andoperated by the rod 22. I have not shown mechanism for working the rod 22 as the same is shown and described in my patent before mentioned, but I may state that by adjusting the stops 19 and 20 upon the rod 18 and providing a depending arm or the rod 22 which will lie in the path of these stops, this is easily accomplished.

The opcration of my device is as followst-- A tongue 60 is clamped 'to the work support by suitable clamps 6.1 and 62 with the pin 6.) projecting in a horizontal direction towarc 4o a predetermined distance which is sufficient the tool support andhead stock. The dresstool is now'adjusted through its hand- Wheel 64; to bring it into engagement with the periphery of the pin 63. The shaft 4 is started to revolving .by means of a belt shifteror the like, not shown herein, and accor e to the position of the clutch 5 one of the pu leys, 6 or 7, as the case may be, is

started rotating. This being in engagement around the pin 63.

with the clutch, which is keyed to the shaft 4', the shaft 4, also starts to rotate carrying with it the swing late 8 and the spindle yoke 11, thereby revo ving the dressing tool 13 While this orbital or planetary motion is being efiected, the dressm tool is given a rotary motion through the spmdle 12 by the belt 14. During this operation the fingers 27. and 28 mounted upon the rod 26 are so adjusted that the stud 31 does not come in engagement therewith during the rotation of the swing plate, allowing switch tongue which is rounded at that end a complete rotation of the said swing plate and the dressing tool.

If, it. is desired togrind only one portion of thepin' 63, or for example the butt of the and extends straight up so as to prevent-the complete rotationlof the dressing .tool, .the operation is somewhat changed and the tool is given an oscillatory motion as follows: The

- fingers 27 and 28 are adjusted upon the rod 26 so as to give the desired throw to the swing plate upon each reversal. \Ve may assume that the clutch is in en agement with the pulley 6 and that the pulley is bein driven in a leftrhand direction while the prilley 7 is revolving idly upon the shaft -L in a righthand direction. hen a part of the revolution of the swing plateis completed, the stud 31 engages the arm 28 and throws the rod 26 to push the arm 33 and its weight 34 past the center or vertical line through the pivot,-

point of the rod. The arm then drops furerforins no function whatever. hen,

iowever, the end of the slot is reached, the.

rod 26 is snapped quickly over to the limit of its movement and the shaft 32 is thus revolved, carrymg with it the arm 27 and raising the arm 39 through the link 38 thereby o erating the shaft 41 to reverse the clutch 5 t rough the forked arm 40. This operation changes the rotation of the shaft from left to right and thereby reverses the direction of movement of the dressing tool the rotation of which is continued in the same direction. The next reversal 1s, of course, similar to that thus described except that instead of the stud engaging the arm 28, it engages the arm 27 and throws the weighted arm 33 in the opposite direction.

The reversal of the shaft may, of course,

5 reverse the rotation of the pinion 45 and thereby reverse the feed action of the shaft 54. If desired, however, to continue the same direction of feed, the stops 19 and 20 j are so adjusted that they will reverse the action of the clutch 21 and thereby continue the feed in the same direction although the shaft 4 is being op'erated in a reverse direction.

It will be understood that the mechanism thus s ecifically described may be varied by skille mechanics in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. The essential feature of the invention, and one which I believe to be original with me, is the reversal of the feed of the dressing tool in less than a complete revolution ofthe shaft. Subsidiary features of the inventidn' are the position of the weighted rod to insure the complete and positive operation of the reversing clutch, suflicient energy being stored up in this weight and rod by permitting lost motion through the slot and connection.

This also serves to maintain the clutch posi tively set in either direction after being thrown. a

With this invention I have found it racticable to grind any fraction of a curve surface from one degree to three hundred and sixty degrees of rotation, and so far as I am aware I am the first erson who has been able to accomplish t 's important result. The practice of theinvention 1s extensible to include many other things besides switch tongues, for example, the end sof. crank arms, and the curved butts of any strai ht sided mechanical pieces, also such curve surfaces as the portions of propeller shafts or engine shafts generally which are included between projecting ins or keys or the like. None of these can dressed with any rotating tool, nor with a fixed tool cutting through rotation of the work, for the reason that there are obstructions. With my invention, however, it is only necessary to set the reversing fingers in order to insure the complete and satisfactory grinding of any predetermined angular distance on the curved surface.

Among the changes which are possible, without altering the character of the invention, I may mention the modification of the work-holder or su port so as to take objects extending paralle to the bed or machine; also the modification of the work-su ort and tool-holder to have the tool hefd by what is herein considered the work-support, and the work-holder by what I have called the tool-support. Of course this latter change could only be effected"- where small parts are dealt with, but I mention it in order to show the comprehensive scope of the field to which my present invention is applicable. I intend my claims appended hereto, tobe iven a broad and comprehensive scope in keeping with the broad and comprehensive e ground or in fact properly character of the field to which the invention is applicable. Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is p 1'. In a machine of the class described a supporting frame or bed, means for holding a iece of work in position thereon, a tool havmg a double drive, one drive for cuttin and the other for surface feed over the work, together with means to limit and chan e the direction of the tool drive as desirec and means for automatically feeding the work holding meanswith respect to the tool. 2. In a machine of the class described a supportingframe or bed, means for holding a iece of work in position thereon, a tool havmg a double drive, one drive for cutting and the other for surface feed over the Work, means to cha e the direction of the surface feed of the too at will, together with means to feed the work holder.

3. In a machine of the class described a supportin frame or bed, means for holding a piece 0. work in position thereon, a tool having a double drive, one drive for cutting and the other for surface feed over the work, means to limit the extent of surface feed of said tool, means for feeding the work holder, and 'means for automatically limiting the same.

4, In a machine of the class described a supporting frame or bed, means for holding a iece of work in position thereon, a tool havmg a double drive, one drive for cutting and the other for surface feed over the Work, means to direct the surface feed so as to effect a cut over a prescribed surface of the work only, means for automatically feeding the- "means foi reversing the surface feed motion of the tool, means for feeding the work holder, and means automatically operating to reverse said feeding action at a predetermined time. 6. In a machine of the class described a supporting frame or bed, means for holding a iece of work in position thereon, a tool havmg a double drive, one drive for cutting and the other for surface feed over the work,'

means for automatically feeding the work holder with relation to the tool, -a tool spindle carrying the tool and movable to effect the cutting drive, a feed spindle with connections to the tool spindle, whereby the latter is moved to effect the surface feed, together with means for limiting the motion of said feed spindle.

piece of work in position thereon, a tool'hav ing a double drive, one drive for cutting and the other for surface feed over the work,

means for automatically feeding the work holder with relation to the tool, a tool spindle carrying the tool and movable to effect the cutting drive, a feed spindle with connec-' tions to the tool spindle, whereby the latter is moved to effect the surface feed, together with reversing mechanism controlled by the tool spindle in its motion for effecting a change in said motion.

8. In a machine of the class described a supporting frame or bed, means for holding a piece of work in position thereon, a tool having a double drive, one drive for cutting and the other for surface feed over the work,

means for automatically feeding the work with reversing mechanism for said feed spindle, and adjustably actuating means therefor controlled by the spindle in its motion.

9. In a machine of the class described a supporting frame or bed, means for holding a piece ofv work in position thereon, a toolhavmg a double drlve, one drive for cutting and 5 the other for surface feed over the work, means for automatically feeding the work holder with relation to the tool, a tool spindle carrying the tool and movable to efiect the cutting drive, a feed spindle with connections to the tool spindle, whereby the latter is moved to effect the surface feed, together with oppositely driven motor means for said feed spindle, a reversing lever for throwing in one or the other of the motor means, and automatic controlling means for said reversing lever.

10. In a machine of the class described a supporting frame or bed, means for holding a piece of work in position thereon, a tool having a double drive, one drive for cutting and the other for surface feed over the work, means for automatically feeding the work holder with relation to the tool, a tool spindle carrying the tool and movable to effect the cutting drive, a feed spindle with connections to the tool spindle, whereby the latter is moved to effect the surface feed, together with oppositely driven pulleys on said feed spindle, a clutch adapted to connect either one of said pulleys to the spindle, and means actuated by the spindle in its motion to control said clutch. I

7 11. In a machine .of the class described a l the other for surface feed over the work,

7. In a machine of the class described a l means for automatically feeding the work 6 5 supporting frame or bed, means for holding a l holder with relation to the tool, a tool spindle carrying the tool and movable to effect the ing a double drive, one drive for cutting and 5 cutting drive, a feed spindle with connecthe other for surface feed overthe work a tions to the tool spindle, whereby the latter tool spindle carrying the tool and movable 1s moved to effect the surface feed, together to effect the cutting drive, afeed spindle with ,5 wlth reversing mechanism for said spindle connections to the tool spindle, whereby the and a double controlling mechanism therefor latter is moved to effect the surface feed, to- 70 for producing a continuous baclcand forth ether with oppositely runnin drive pulleysmotion of the feed spindle. for the feed spindle, a clutch or connecting 12. In a machine of the class, described a either one of said ulleys at will, a lever conro supporting frame or bed, means for holding a trolling said clutc a link spindle controlling 'piece of Work in position thereon, a tool havsaid lever, a slide bar controlling said link 75 mg a double drive, one drive for cutting and spindle, and a weighted lever rigidly secured the other for surface feed over the work, tosaid spindle andhaving a lost motion conmeans for automatically feeding the work nection with the. slide bar, whereby it may be holder with relation to the tool, a tool spindle thrown past center by said slide bar, and

carrying the tool and movable to effect the thereafter will act under the influence of 80 cutting drive, a feed spindle with connecgravity to effect a complete and positive motions to the tool spindle, whereby the latter tion of the link and spindle clutch mech- 1s moved to effect the surface feed, together 'anism.

with reversing drive pulleys for said spindle, 16. In a machine of the class described a A a clutch for connecting one or the other supporting frame or bed, means for holding a 8 thereto, a lever controlling said clutch, a iece of work in position thereon, a tool havspmdle controlling said lever, a slide bar mg a double drive, one drive for cutting and adapted to move said spindle, adjustable fin the other for surface feed over the work, 1a gers on said bar, and a reversing stud contool spindle carrying the tool and movable to neeted With the feed spindle, to act upon said effect the cutting drive, a feed spindle with 90 fingers and thereby produce. alternate reconnections to the tool spindle, whereby the versals of motion of the spindle. latter is moved to effect the surface feed, to- 13. In a machine of the class described a gether with a pair of oppositely running drive 50 supporting frame or bed, means for holding a pulleys for the feed spindle an intermediate piece of Work in position thereon, a tool havclutch thereon, a bell-crank lever pivotally 5 ing a double drive, one drive for cutting and carried on the bed of the machine, a reversthe other for surface feed over the work, ing spindle in bearings on said bed, a link means for automatically feeding the Work connection from said reversing spindle to the holder with relation to the tool, a tool spindle bell-crank lever, a weighted operating lever carrying the tool and movable to efiect the rigidly secured at its lower end to said revers- 10o cutting drive, a feed sp ndle with connecling spindle, a slide bar carrying adjustable tions to the tool spindle, whereby the latter fingers and adapted to be moved back and is moved to effect the surface feed, together forth by a stud connected to the feed spindle 40 with reversible driving gear for the feed and a lost motion connection between the spindle, a link motion therefor controlled by slide bar and the weighted lever, whereby 105 t e spindle in its movement, and a locking movement of the bar in either direction wi 1 device initially moved by the spindle, and force the lever past center and then permit a thereafter acting automatically to insure a free and uninterrupted continuance of its mocomplete and positive reversal. tion under the influence of gravity, to pro- 14. In a machine of the class described a duce positive action of the clutch. 11 supportlng frame or bed, means for holding a 17. In a machine of the class described,

)ie'ce of work in position thereon, a tool havthe combination of a su porting frame or mg a double drive, one drive for cutting and bed, of a work holder slidably mounted there- 5o the other for surface feed over the work, a on, means for feeding said work holder, a

tool spindle carrying the tool and movable to tool havin a double drive, one drive for cut- I I 5 effect the cutting drive, a feed spindle with ting and t e other'for surface feed over the connections to the tool spindle, whereby the work, means for changing the direction of latter is moved to effect the surface feed, tosurface feed of said tool over"the work, and 5; gether with reversing gear for the feed spin means for locking said changing means in dle, and a weighted lever connected thereto changed position. 120 with lost motion, andmeans forinitiallymov- 18. In a machine of the class described, ing said lever in the act of reversing to a the combination of a supporting frame or oint where it will continue to act under the bed, of a work holder slida y mounted there influence of gravity, to force a'positivo reon, means for feeding said work'holder, a versal.

15; In amachine of the class described ting and t e other for surface feed over the supporting frame or bed, means for holding a work, means for changing the direction of piece of work in position thereon, a tool havsurface feed of said tool over the work means tool havin a double drive, one drive for out- 1 2 5 for locking said changing means in cha ed position, and means for reversing thefee of said Work holder. v

19. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame or bed, means for holding a piece of work in position thereon, a tool having a double drive, one drive for cutting and work, together with means to direct said I curved surface feed so as to effect a cut over a predetermined surface of the work only.

21. In a machine of the class described, a 20, supporting frame or bed, means for holding a piece of work in position thereon, a tool having a double drive, one drive for cutting and the other for curved surface feed over the "work, a'tool spindle carrying t-hetool and 2 movable to effect the cutting drive, a'feed spindle with connections to the tool spindle whereby the latter is moved in a rotary direction to effect the surface feed, together with means for limiting and changing the di- 0 rection of motion of said feed spindle.

In testimony whereof I have allixed my signature in presence of two witnesses,

V HENRY B. NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

YVM. D. GIIEREY, I-IERMAN' WOLF. 

